Strong relationships come with trust

Learn that strong relationships come with trust – KLT. Relationships of any long-term meaning are never cemented overnight. They take time. KLT stands for know, like and trust which represents the three key stages of your dealings with any client or candidate and they have to go in that order. There are no shortcuts to long-lasting, meaningful relationships.

If you want a referral from a candidate, then don’t ask for names at your first meeting – they only just know you and, hopefully, are beginning to like you. If you want volume and good quality referrals, then ask once you have lined up an interview for them or you’ve come back with feedback and given them some sound advice, i.e. when they TRUST you.

If your boss tells you to ask for two names from every candidate during your first contact/meeting with them – tell him to read this blog. It seldom works, and your candidates will have a seed of doubt sown about your integrity at a time that you should be proving to them that you have got their best interests at heart.